Watering Time...

With temps in the high 50's & low 60's over the last few days our plants are waking up & demanding water! Many haven't had a drink since last November.

Hellebore Heaven

It's Hellebore heaven here in the Plantmad Garden at the moment! Here are a few more pics!

Cyclamen trochopteranthum

Probaby the two most available species of hardy Cyclamen are C. hederifolium which flowers in the fall & C. coum which flowers in the Spring. However there are a great many more. One of our favorites is Cyclamen trochopteranthum. Native to the to rocky areas of Southwest Turkey it's certainly tough! Our plant has lived happily in this pot for about 10 years or so. Every so often I remember to throw a bit of fertilizer on top and this last winter they froze solid in the pot during our coldest weather in 20 years!

Distylium racemosum

Distylium racemosum
イスノキ

A rather bland and nondescript plant most of the year this Hamamelidaceae does have its good points. Its an excellent hardy evergreen tree & it flowers in February!

Cornus officinalis 'Kintoki'

Cornus officinalis 'Kintoki'
山茱萸 (サンシュユ)

Flowering in our garden this week is Cornus officinalis 'Kintoki', the Asian version of Cornus mas (Cornelian Cherry). Cornus officinalis flowers are just a touch deeper yellow in color and the bark is more exfoliating. The cultivar Kintoki is a semi dwarf selection.

Signs of Spring

Signs of Spring, the Stewartia monodelpha seed Chiyoko sowed last November is now beginning to germinate.

Wintersweet

Chimonanthus praecox 'Su Xin La Mei'
ロウバイ （蝋梅)

This Chinese cultivar of Wintersweet looks very similar to the cultivar 'Luteus' but for us it grows a little faster. Like 'Luteus' the flowers have a fantastic winter time scent. Began Flowering in our garden this year on January 15th.